If you follow this blog, or our Facebook pages ( Joshua's, Crystal's) you know we're expecting our fourth child in November. That means, as much as we love our Subaru, we're going to have to say goodbye. We recently (yesterday) acquired a used Toyota Sienna. It's a 2004 with almost 90,000 miles, but it's in really good shape. It has all the Alaska accessories: engine block/transmission heater, winter tires, and it's all-wheel-drive of course (Toyota is the only company still making an all-wheel-drive mini van).
We will be selling our Subaru Outback once it's cleaned up and in pristine shape. We hate to see the Subaru go, but are excited about the baby, and really jazzed and praising God about the vehicle acquisition.
Two photos too cute not to share.
 Jonathan may be 2.5, but he is still a toddler. And sometimes he toddles...and sometimes he does faceplants. Such was the case, sadly, this past Sunday at Alaska land. He was trucking across the parking lot and hit an uneven spot. I only caught the last half of the event, so as near as I can tell, his hands went down, but didn't adequately catch his fall. His face made contact with the asphalt knocked off his glasses (they survived) and gave him, as he put it, an "ouch on my cheek." He cried, we wiped it off, prayed for him, and he was ready and raring to go once again. Brave little boy.
It's been a busy month so please forgive us for not updating you sooner.
Our baby boy has a name: Timothy-Isaiah John Kugler. Timothy means honoring God; Isaiah means Yahweh (God) has saved; and John means Jehovah (God) is a gracious giver
The first week and a half of Timothy's life is a bit of a blur. He was jaundiced to the point where he was admitted to the hospital over night to get his biliruben levels down. After that we were in and out of the local clinic checking on his weight. Today he had his one month check-up at the birth clinic. I was pleasantly surprised to see that he weighed in at 11lbs. even. He gained 2lbs 2oz from his birth weight of 8lbs. 14oz.
So, all in all, Timothy is quite healthy and going strong!
Or so said Elizabeth this morning at breakfast.
Yesterday evening, Crystal started getting pains below her stomach. Having just had a chiropractic adjustment earlier that day, she didn't think much of it; she wasn't due for three weeks, after all. But as the evening progressed, it became clear she was experiencing contractions. So, early this morning, the mid-wife came over, checked Crystal out, and said, "Yep, you're dilated to three centimeters."
Time to go to the birth clinic.
After a relatively short labor (about five hours total), our third child, a boy, was born. Eight pounds, 14 ounces; 21 inches; born at 4:37AM today, January 24th. Incidentally, today is also my dad's 65th birthday. Another interesting fact about my dad's birthday: He was born about 6:30AM, Arizona time. So, our new baby boy was born 65 years after his grandpa, almost to the minute.
Praises:
- Crystal was only three weeks early, so we didn't have to go to the hospital (the cutoff is three weeks prior, two weeks after)
- Baby and Mommy and doing GREAT!
- Labor and Birth had no complications
Prayers:
- Baby boy doesn't have a name yet...we want wisdom in naming him!
Edit: My dad is 65 today, not 68.
Edit: Correct hospital "cutoff"
Joshua is starting a new job Monday! See his geek blog for more details.
A while back I heard about this product called Baby Legs. Think of them as long socks minus the feet. Great for crawling around hard floors, keeping legs warm (of course!). I've seen adults use them on their arms. I like the idea of of using them on little ones, sounds like a great alternative to pants when it comes to changing diaper!
They have a contest going where you can win 20 pairs of Baby Legs, and you can get bonus entries if you link to the contest on your blog (as I'm doing now). Go here to sign up.
Every now and then you get a reminder that small children are still working on discerning that fine line between reality and dreams. Like today, for instance.
Elizabeth was sleeping on the bed while I worked at the computer. She woke up from a dead sleep, eyes open, and, the following conversation took place:
"Hey dad?"
"Yeah?"
"Earlier I saw some giraffes."
"Really?"
"Yeah, outside."
And she laid back down and was back out. And this all happened in the span of about 60 to 90 seconds. Wow.
In order to get to Jonathan's appointment I had to wake him up from his nap. He got to keep his binky (pacifier) to the car. When we got to the car I offered him a granola bar as a snack. He held it firmly in his hand, and I asked for his binky. He was quiet for the whole ride to the eye clinic. When I went to get him out of his seat, there was his uneaten granola bar. Feeling really badly, I offered Jonathan his binky. He took it, still clutching onto his granola bar. I asked for the binky back when we got inside. (they have a small play area and I didn't feel like losing a pacifier) He willingly gave it up. We get inside to sign in where he tells everyone he's sick (he's not, this is the eye doctor). All the while he's clutching onto the granola bar. We sit down in the waiting area and I ask if he's going to eat the granola bar.
"Yes" he says as he just sits there. I ask a second time and it was like the light bulb went on, "oh yeah, food". He then proceeds to start counting (mouth full of food no less), "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9."
I corrected him, "7, 8, 9." He practically shouts "10!" I asked if he knew what came after 10.
"9?"
I told him that 11 came next. He then says "12."
"What comes after 12, do you know?"
"10".
I said "10, 11, 12."
"13"
"Very good Jonathan. Who taught you that? Did Elizabeth teach you that?"
"No"
"Did you learn that from Elmo (we have a TV game that uses Sesame Street for learning)
"Animals!" (There are animals on the Elmo game.)
Today Jonathan had an other eye exam, to see how he was adjusting to his prescription. When we went to sign in, he said "I sick". I was quick to tell him that he was not sick but he persisted. I reiterated the fact that he was not sick. I also told him that we were seeing the eye doctor not his medical doctor. To which he replied: "ok"
I am happy (elated perhaps) by the fact that Jonathan does not have to wear his glasses! He will have to wear them again if we see his left eye start to drift (and also bring him back to the eye doctor). Dr. Zamber was very impressed with how far Jonathan has come since getting his glasses.
So, you don't think I was going to let you escape without hearing about the other child, do you?  Today, it is Elizabeth who is on my lap, sitting sideways, leaning against my right arm, with her right hand on mine as I type. And she's asleep. Yup, it's kind of hard (translation: impossible) to use my trackball, but there is little that can match the feeling of a sleeping child on your lap. I certainly don't mind the "inconvenience."
Right now, I am typing, but the range of motion of my right arm is somewhat impaired, effectively eliminating the usage of my trackball. This is because I got my son up from his nap, but he's not quite awake. In fact, he's quite sound asleep on my lap, laying against my chest. And the typing/trackball impairment? He's using my right arm as his pillow. Well worth the bother.
I love listening to Elizabeth talk! With her limited vocabulary she tries so hard to form her thoughts into sentences.
On the drive home from church tonight the sun was right in her eyes. She asked for her sunglasses like this: "I want my sunglasses! I don't want my eyes to be bright!"
I'm sitting here, working, reading, and doing other things I get paid for, and on my lap sits an almost-three-year-old little girl, snuggled up against me. Out cold, mouth open, nearly sawing logs. My own little sleeping beauty.
I love working from home.
As of last Monday (January 21), we have, installed and working, a beautiful new Buderus G115 four-section boiler unit. It's currently keeping the house about 30 to 40 degrees right now (so cold because of the lack of a front window, see below).
We've done our kitchen design, and the cabinets that aren't in stock have been ordered.
More than half of the old wiring is out, and we're almost ready to re-wire the house (and bring it up to code!).
Our front picture window is out, and the lumber around it (sill, cripple studs, headers, etc) that were damaged or rotted have been replaced. The new window (triple pane, argon filled) will go in Thursday.
Our flooring is purchased, and is sitting in the living room of the house. Glue, underlayment, and such still needs to be purchased.
So, what's left to do:
- Rewire (whole house)
- Plumbing (whole house)
- Repair rotted studs (there are a few)
- Re-do all insulation
- Sheetrock
- Painting
- Flooring
- Other miscellaneous stuff
So, progress, but still a ways to go. Please keep us in your prayers.
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